Conveyor clip



June 23, '1959 w. R. LONG 2,891,658

' CONVEYOR CLIP Filed Dec.v30, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' ma l I LMB@ f/ @ffww l f INVENT OR ATTORNEY June 23, 1959 v w R. LONG 2,891,658

coNvEYoR CLIP A 2 shuts-sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30. 1957 United tat ticeCONVEYOR CLIP William Redden Long, Tarboro, N.C., assigner to LongManufacturing Co., Inc.

Division of application Serial No. 446,291, July 28, 1954, now PatentNo. 2,704,158, dated March 15, 1955. Continuation of `application SerialNo. 486,250, February 4, 1955. This application December 3), 1957,Serial No. 705,880

6 Claims. (Cl. 198-179) This application is a division of my priorapplication Serial Number 446,291, led July 28, 1954, issued on March15, 1955, as Patent No. 2,704,158, and a continuation of applicationSerial Number 486,250, tiled February 4, 1955, and relates to aharvesting machine and more particularly to a conveyor and spring clipstructure for gripping and elevating articles and particularly forgripping and elevating tobacco leaves in the harvesting thereof.

Heretofore various types of harvesters have been in use, but suchharvesters have not been entirely satisfactory because the product, suchas tobacco leaves, had to be handled many times with resultant damage tothe leaves and excessive costs for the harvesting and drying of thetobacco. Although various types of conveyors have been used incombination with harvesting machines, these conveyors have notsatisfactorily handled the tobacco leaves and where clips have been usedfor engaging the tobacco leaves the juices of the tobacco leaves haveaccumulated on the clips making a gummy residue which interfered withthe use of the clips and required stopping and cleaning.

An object of the present innvention is to provide a machine whichovercomes the defects of the prior art.

A further object of the invention is to provide an endless conveyorsystem for a machine with portions of the conveyor located closelyadjacent to workmen who position articles on the conveyor with theconveyor conducting the articles to another location where workmenremove the articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a harvester with aconveyor in which a single power plant drives the conveyor and propelsthe machine over the ground while simultaneously driving the conveyor,the speed of the conveyor and the propelling speed of the vehicle beingindividually controlled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring clip structurewhich resiliently engages articles to be carried and permits readyinsertion and removal of such articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring clip forattachment to a conveyor at selected points along a conveyor inaccordance with the size of the articles to be conveyed, the speed ofthe conveyor, and the spacing desired between articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring clip structurewhich will maintain a horizontal position regardless of the direction ofmovement of a conveyor on which it may be attached.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for receivingarticles from a conveyor so that a minimum of handling of the articlesis required.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tobacco harvesting machine formovement along tobacco rows and including a vertically extendingconveyor for receiving the tobacco leaves closely adjacent the groundand raising the leaves to an elevated position with structure at theelevated position for receiving and supporting tobacco sticks on whichthe tobacco leaves are looped;

Fig. 2, a side elevation with parts broken away of the machine shown inFig. l including another form of structure for receiving and supportingtobacco sticks on which the leaves are looped;

Fig. 3, a sectional elevation of a depending run of the conveyor showingtwo of the spring clips in operative position and showing the conveyorchain in engagement with a sprocket wheel;

Fig. 4, a section taken on the broken line 4-4 of Figs. 2 and 3 andshowing the alternate arrangement of the spring clips;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary elevation of an upwardly extending intermediateportion of the conveyor showing a conveyor supporting `bracket andsprocket thereon;

Fig. 6, a perspective of a spring clip mounted on a portion of theconveyor chain; and

Fig. 7, a detail of an outer link of the conveyor chain showing theyoke-shaped fastening clip for engagement in an annular groove of thesupporting shank of a spring clip.

With continued reference to the drawings, the machine of the presentinvention comprises a rectangular frame 10 including longitudinal andtransverse mmebers 11 and 12 comprising a support or floor 13 providinga platform for workmen. A canopy 13 may be provided to cover theplatform 13 to shield the workmen from the weather. The members 10, 11and 12 are preferably of tubing and the frame with its platform issupported by auxiliary frames including a pair of spaced horizontalmembers or bars 14 having upwardly inclined forward portions 15connected by a pair of transverse bars 16. The auxiliary frames areconnected to the main frame by means of U-clamps 17 at their upper ends.

The spaced parallel horizontal tubular members 14 each are provided witha pair of spaced plates 18 clamped on opposite sides of each tubularlbar 14, such plates having axle-receiving sockets 19 and 20.

Extending between the plates 18 and connected to the main frame are apair of upright supports Z1 and 22, connected by braces 23 and 24, theupper ends of which upright supports 21 and 22 are connected by theU-clamps 17 with the transverse members 12 of the main frame and affordadjustment laterally of the machine to correspond to the spacing of therows along which the machine is operated.

The brace 22 is bent slightly relative to its lower portion and haswelded or otherwise attached thereto and to the auxiliary frame member14 an additional brace 25 thus adding rigidity to the Structure andproviding a support on which seats 26 'are adjustably secured by meansof clamping `sleeves 27 and bolts 28.

The tubular auxiliary frame members 14 terminate a short distance beyondthe rear ends of the plates 18 and serve to receive the ends 29 ofextension members 30 having upstanding portions 31 which connect by U-clamps 17 to the rear of the frame 10 and on which they can be adj-usted`as previously indicated. A second seat 26 is adjustable on the upright31 of each auxiliary frame.

In order to support the main frame toward its rear an axle 32 isdisposed transversely of the auxiliary frame in the sockets 19 in theplates 18 and on the axle 32 is mounted a wheel 33 have a pneumatic tire34 thereon. A wheel 33 is disposed at each side of the vehicle and isprovided with a conventional mechanical brake controlled by a link 36operated by `a conventional foot pedal 37. These brakes may be usedparticularly when the machine is being operated along a highway inmoving from place -to place.

The frame may be provided with a pair of spaced parallel reinforcingbars 3S (Fig. 2) connected by struts 39 to the under side of the frame.

A vertically extending bearing 40 is fixed to the forward end of theframe and pivotally supports a fork 41 to provide for steering thevehicle, a drive wheel 42 being rotatably mounted in the fork. Ahorizontally extending platform 43, mounted on the fork carries a powerplant or motor which through suitable transmission and driving chainsrotates the driving traction wheel 42, thereby moving the machine overthe ground. The fork 41 is rotated in bearing 4t) by means of wormgearing in a housing 45 operated by a steering wheel 46. Thetransmission of power from the motor 44 to the driving wheel includes avariable speed belt system 47 in which one pulley 48 mounted on themotor shaft may have its effective diameter increased while anotherpulley 49 which drives the input shaft of a variable speed transmission49A has its effective diameter decreased and vice versa, therebyproviding for extremely accurate control of the speed of movement of theharvester over the ground with constant speed operation of the powerplant. The power plant 44 through another pulley -i on the opposite endof its motor shaft and belt Si) drives a pulley 51 connected to aflexible driving cable 52 which in turn drives shaft 53 through a wormand worm gear in a housing 54. A shaft 53 is disposed transversely ofthe machine and has driving sprockets 121 and 122 on each side of themachine by means of which conveyor chains 123 and 124 located atopposite sides of the machine are driven. Each conveyor chain iscomposed of a series of outside links 125 connected to inside links 126connected by rivets 127 with spacing sleeves 128. The outside links 125are provided with center openings 129 in certain of which are disposedmounting pins 134) secured in position by yoke fasteners 131 at one endand with the opposite ends of the mounting pins extending into a sleeve132 riveted into the upper end of an arm or member 133.

The lower end of the arm 133 is bent outwardly at approximately rightangles and forms one arm or side 134 of a fork or clip and a secondcurved side 135 of such fork is secured by a pivot 136 to the base orinner portion of the arm 134, the arm 135 having an offset 135 so thatthe ends of the arms are in the same plane. The arm 134 is provided witha lateral portion forming a stop 137 for limiting the movement of thearms toward each other. The arms 134 and 135 are provided with openings133 and 139 respectively in which the ends of a helical spring 146 areengaged to cause the free ends of the arms to be moved toward eachother. Between these arms or within the clip thus formed a plurality ofStems of tobacco are adapted to be inserted so that they can be carriedalong by the conveyor and sub sequently removed. To facilitate theoperation of these arms they may have contiguous rounded portions and toprevent gumrnirig, bolts or rivets 141 are provided in the ends of thearms on which are mounted tv/o pairs of spaced disks 142. the disks ofeach pair being disposed on opposite sides of its supporting arm. Byusing disks which are freely rotatable, gum from tobacco will notaccumulate suticiently to interfere with the operation and does not haveto be removed by scraping.

The conveyor 124, is provided for carrying tobacco from position nearthe ground to a higher elevation above the platforms and along an upperrun 1423 from which the tobacco can 'oe removed and placed on sticks16A. Each conveyor has portions located adjacent the two seats 26 sothat tobacco can be placed in the clips or holders by workman seated onthe seats at each side of the machine. in order to dispose the conveyorsin the proper position for unioading each is mounted on upper sprockets145 and so that their upper edges are at approximately the same level.These sprockets are mounted on a Y frame having legs 147 and 148,

such Y frame being secured to a base plate 149 by U- bolts 17 to tubularcross members 12 and such Y frame including a depending tube 150 havingset screws 151 for engagement with the shank 152 of an adjustabletubular Support for the sprocket 153 located near the front seat 25(Fig. 2).

From the front end of its upper run 143 each conveyor extends downwardlyaround a driving sprocket by means of which it is driven. From thesprocket 153 the conveyor extends upwardly around a sprocket 15d carriedby a. bracket 155 which, -like the other brackets is adjustable and issecured to a cross member 12 by means of a troia-.mp 17. From thesprocket 154 the conveyor has an inclination downwardly and rearwardlyabout sprockets and 157 carried on opposite ends of the divcrging armsof a bracket 158 which is rigidly mounted on i transverse tubular bar16. Thus, the conveyor extends around driving sprockets 121 and 122 upand over rockets 1:15 and 146, down and around sprockets 156 and 157, upand over sprockets 154, down and around adiustable sprocket 153 and thenagain to the drive sprockets 121 and 122.

The clips with the disks 142 are disposed at spaced intervalsalternately on opposite sides of the conveyors and convenient to theworkmen or primers near the ground and so that the tobacco leaves fromthe four rows worked at one time will be uniformly spaced. Tobaccoremoved from the upper runs of the conveyor is adapted to be placed onsticks 144i disposed longitudinally of the machine and resting on rotarysupports. Tnse supports comprise mounting bars 159 having fixed pivotpins 161, such pins being pivortally mounted in stanchions 162 mountedon the platform 13. The outer ends of the pivot pins 161 are providedwith sprockets 163 which engage chains 164 and sprockets 165 on a commonshaft 166. Thus the arms 159 are mounted and maintained in the samerelation. in order to stop the mounting bars in a definite position theyare provided with depressions for the reception of the rounded heads oflocking pins 169 mounted in the stanchions 162, such pins being providedwith adjusting nuts for applying tension to the spring means which urgesthe rounded head ofthe locking pin into the depression in the arm 159.in order to support tobacco sticks, pairs of brackets 172 are provided,each having a bifurcated end in which the tobacco stick can rest, saidbracket also having an upstanding supporting arm 174 mounted on a pivotin the arm 159. The arm 174 of the bracket 172 serves as ar iutmentagainst which the ends of the stick may enga, One of these brackets 172is disposed at each end of the bar 159 and since the bars are in pairsone at each end of the tobacco stick, the stick may be removablysupported in opposite positions on the rack, stick in the uppermostposition is adapted to have tobacco strung in depending position thereonand when iied. pressure may be exerted to cause the rounded head of inelocking pin to move from the depression and permit the stick to swingdownwardly with its ends held in opposed brackets whereupon an emptytobacco stick previously applied to the brackets 172 of the rack at thelower ends of the bars 159 will be brought into uppermost position whereit can be loaded and the process repeated. When the filled sticks areremoved they may be stored on racks 176 at the rear of the machine.

Guards 245 are provided to embrace a portion of each of the varioussprockets adjacent the incoming side of ih@ envoyer chain to prevent anypossibility of the workmfgqf.; hands or clothes being drawn into thesprocket thereby rendering the machine safe even though the maiorportion of the sprockets and chains are normally exposed.

it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that Which isillustrated in the drawings and described in the specications, but onlyas indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a tobacco harvester, the combination of a conveyor and a series ofleaf suspending clips mounted in spaced relation thereon, said conveyorcomprising links having longitudinally spaced transverse openingstherein, pivots located in said openings and adjustably supporting saidclips along said conveyor so that the spacing of said clips and the timelapse between the passing of adjacent clips can be varied, each clipbeing swingably suspended from one of said pivots and having a pair ofrelatively movable arms, a pair of rollers one rot-atively mounted oneach arm in spaced relation to the pivot on which said clip issupported, said rollers having their convex surfaces in close proximityproviding a throat between which tobacco leaves may be inserted and saidrollers separated thereby suioietntly to permit passage of the leavestherebetween, a tension spring having its ends -attached to said armswith one end of said spring closely adjacent to each of said rollers andurging said rollers toward each other, said spring serving to limit themovement of the leaves into the clip and also serving with the adjacentportions of said rollers to define a relatively small triangulargripping area lfor the tobacco leaves so that the leaves will be firmly'engaged on three sides, the structure and mounting of each clip beingsuch that the bulk and weight of the clip including its gripping area islocated below `its pivotal support so that the tobacco leaves heldthereby will be in depending position at all times.

2. In a tobacco harvester, a chain conveyor 'and a series of leaf clipsadjustably mounted on said conveyor and a series of leaf clipsadjustably mounted on said conveyor in Ilongitudinally spaced relation,said conveyor comprising links having Ilongitudinally spaced transversepivot-receiving openings therein, clip supporting pivots in certain ofsaid openings said clips being mounted to swing on said pivots and eachincluding a pair of arms pivoted to lswing one relative to the other, apair of rollers `one on each arm having their convex surfaces in closeproximity providing a throat between which tobacco leaves may beinserted so that said rollers move apart sufciently to permit thepassage of the tobacco, said rollers being located on the end portionsof said arms remote from said clip supporting pivot, a tension springhaving its ends connected one -to each of said arms closely adjacent tothe roller thereon, said rollers and said spring defining a grippingarea in which the leaves will be engaged on three sides, .the structureand mounting of each clip being such that the -bulk and weight of theclip including its gripping area is located below its pivotal support sothat the tobacco leaves held thereby will be in depending position atall times.

3. In a tobacco harvester the combination of a conveyor and a series ofleaf suspending clips thereon, pivots for supporting said clips alongsaid conveyor, each clip comprising a pair of relatively movable armss-wingably suspended from said pivot, a pair of rollers carried one oneach arm in spaced relation from said pivot, said rollers Ibeingrotatably mounted with their contiguous portions in close proximityproviding a convex throat between which tobacco leaves may be insertedto thereby move said rollers apart and permit said leaves to passtherebetween, a spring having one of its ends attached to one arm andhaving its other end attached to the other arm closely adjacent to saidrollers and urging said rollers toward each other under tension, saidspring and the adjacent portions of said rollers dening a relativelysmall triangular gripping area for tobacco leaves so that said leaveswill be engaged and a rm grip exerted on three sides of the same, saidclips being pivoted in spaced relation on said conveyor so that themajor portion of said clip and the gripping area thereof will be locatedbelow the pivot which supports the clip and the tobacco leaves will besuspended in depending position at all times.

4. In a tobacco harvester, an endless conveyor having a predeterminedrun, and at least one tobacco plant securing clip mounted on saidconveyor and having a constant orientation position in all directions ofangular disposition of the run of said conveyor, said conveyor includingmeans freely journaling said clip thereon with the clip Ibelow saidmeans and subject to the eiect of gravity thereon, said clip including apair of spaced arms supported tby said means in laterally spaceddepending relation therefrom, said arms being displaceable relative toeach other and including terminal portions comprising opposed arcuatesurfaces converging and diverging intermediately and forming a laterallyopening throat and two sides of a substantially triangular spaceextending toward the means on said conveyor, a tension spring extendingat opposite ends from each of said arms and normally urging the sametogether, said spring being spaced from the intermediate portion of saidarcuate surfaces and defining with the diverging portions thereof asubstantially triangular space laterally of the run of said conveyor forremovably receiving and gripping tobacco plant stems therein in theconstant position of orientation assumed by the clip.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said terminal portions of said armscomprise a circular element journaled on the terminal end of each ofsaid arms and a portion of the outer periphery thereof comprises saidarcuate surfaces, said tension spring being disposed in substantiallyadjacent relation to the outer periphery of said circular elements.

6. 'Ihe structure of claim 4 in which said endless conveyor comprises alink chain, and said means freely journaling the clip therein comprisesa transverse aperture in said chain, and a retaining element extendingthrough said aperture, at least one of the arms of said clip beingjournaled on said retaining element.

No references cited.

